20 secrets to steal from people who never get sick

It’s been shown that lack of sleep causes weight gain, leads to a compromised immune system and increases the production of cortisol, a hormone that triggers stress.

But Sarnoff Mednick, professor emeritus of psychology at the University of Southern California, doesn’t worry about such things.

As profiled by Gene Stone in his book The Secrets of People Who Never Get Sick, Mednick would take an afternoon nap for most of his adult life and never suffered from colds or flu.

The fact is, until about the 13th century and the invention of mechanical clocks, humans napped daily.

The best time for a short snooze: Between the hours of one and three in the afternoon.

Most of us ditched our daily naps after preschool, but scientific experiments suggest that was likely a mistake.

Having a snooze – even one as short as ten minutes – can improve alertness, memory and cognitive performance.

Although you may feel as though you fall into a deep slumber after a night of drinking, alcohol actually disrupts your sleep cycle and compromises the quality of your sleep.

Sleep is so wonderfully restorative to your immune system; cutting back on drinking will help your body protect against harmful germs you might be encountering.

Trouble nodding off? There’s no blanket solution for insomnia. But if you’ve tried everything, here may be the bedroom secret that helps you reclaim your night-time rest.

The act of drinking tea – as well as inhaling the steam that’s produced by a hot beverage – will stimulate hair follicles in the nose, making it easier for you to move germs out of your nose when you breathe.

Different teas have very distinct characteristics, which can affect not only how they are drunk, but at what time of day.

You might not think having a social network would count a much as diet and exercise when it comes to good health.

But studies have found good buddies can protect against everything from memory loss to heart attacks to infectious diseases.

In The Secrets of People Who Never Get Sick, Stone shares the story of Sydney Kling, a former nurse and teacher, who can’t remember being ill in all her 75 years.

She credits this to the fact that she is constantly seeking out new friends.

Sociability, she claims, increases self-esteem, which in turn, supports the immune system.

Just remember, having a social calendar is not the same as posting on social media. Just how much time are you spending on social media anyway?

People who eat less protein have been found to have weaker immune systems.

Try to include foods that are rich in protein during every meal so you don’t fall susceptible to that cold that seems to be plaguing everyone else in the office.

Taking exercise seriously in 2019? Protein is a major building block for muscle and is broken down and used to fuel muscle recovery after your work-out.

In public spaces, be mindful of what you’re touching and whenever possible, keep your hands to yourself.

Things like subway poles and stair banisters have been touched by hundreds of people before you and contain countless harmful germs.

Your hands reveal a lot about yourself. Sweaty palms or shaky digits could be an early warning of certain conditions.

Strengthen your immune system by treating yourself to a massage every few weeks.

Your circulation will improve and your cells will be nourished with additional oxygen and blood, which can boost your immune system.

You may have had facial massage as part of a salon facial. Feels great, right? Here’s how to give yourself a massage at home.

Sugar impedes upon the ability of white blood cells to destroy viruses and bacteria entering your system, so steering clear of added sugar will help you to stop getting sick.

If you’re a chronic nail-biter or constantly find yourself touching your face, put a stop to this habit and you’ll find yourself getting sick a lot less.

Each time you find yourself reaching for your face, remind yourself that you’re transferring harmful germs to your nose and mouth.

“I wash my hands all the time and open doors and touch elevator buttons with a clean tissue whenever possible,” Dan Collins, who works in media relations at a Baltimore hospital, told Prevention magazine.

“When I return to my desk, I immediately grab my supply of antibacterial hand wipes. And whenever my eye itches, I never use the tip of my finger to scratch unless I can sanitise my finger first; instead, I use my knuckle or the back of my hand, as these areas have had less contact with germs than my fingertips.”

While many people think that cold air causes you to get sick during the winter months, it is actually more time spent inside that is making you sick.

Try to spend a little time outside each day, regardless of the temperature.

Maybe you’re a stickler for Zumba, you have favourite music that instantly mellows you out, or curling up with a novel makes the stress of a day melt away.

Whatever the method, regular de-stressing is a critical habit of people who don’t get sick.

If you’re constantly frazzled, you’re at higher risk for everything from a heart attack to diabetes to irritable bowel syndrome.

A small body of scientific literature indicates exposure to cold water may increase the body’s natural antioxidants.

It’s important to take your vitamins regularly.

One supplement that you might be forgetting though is brewer’s yeast.

It’s full of B vitamins, protein and trace minerals, all vital for good health and not getting sick.

Your pet’s food bowl could actually be making you and your family sick if you don’t wash it frequently.

A study by NSF International showed that pet food bowls ranked as the fourth dirtiest place in the house.

Regardless of if you feed your pet dry or wet food, the bowl can keep a residue that attracts bacteria like E. coli and Salmonella.

When doctors did an EKG on Bill Thompson, the results came back as if he were a 20-year-old man.

Thompson is actually 63.

Thompson hasn’t had a cold in nearly two decades, and it’s probably because of his morning routine.

Each day he fills his bathroom sink with lukewarm water, pours a coffee-cupful of hydrogen peroxide, closes his eyes and dunks his head in the bowl, blowing air out of his nose to get the mixture circulating.

Why? Studies show that when the “good” bacteria in your body encounter harmful ones, they excrete a bit of hydrogen peroxide, so the theory is this might boost your natural germ-fighters.

Typically, most people only pack their own beach towels when going on vacation.

But it might be handy to pack your own bed sheets, too.

Put your sheets over the one on the hotel bed to create a barrier between yourself and unknown germs.

Over 60 percent of Americans said that they would still go to work sick. That’s just not healthy. Know the early symptoms of a cold or flu so you can take the right precautions sooner.

Andrew Sussman, executive vice president and associate chief medical officer of CVSHealth, says that the most effective way to avoid getting sick is by getting the flu shot.

Going to the gym is good for losing weight, which ultimately can improve your health.

But to avoid getting sick, lifting weights could do just the trick, Stone says in his book.

It can reduce the likelihood of heart disease and even depression.

Everyone buys a vacuum with the assumption it will suck up all the dirt and grime from their floors and leave them with a clean and shiny house.

But studies have shown that it’s more common than not for vacuums to actually release dirt and bacteria back into your home.

Cleaning your vacuum regularly is the secret to staying healthy at home.

This article first appeared on RD.com.